God is in the details. Ash Wednesday, party’s over. But the bright yellow flowers on my porch are all wilted and limp now from the obscene, senseless heat of the day. Hasn’t rained in over a week now. The same dreary pre-Lenten dry season that surrounded all my frantic comings and goings two years ago when it all started: The long, crazy saga of Narcisa.
The same familiar raucous Carnaval music, pounding drums and swaggering truculent trombones raged away on the street down below this week. Just like two years ago when this all started. But Narcisa’s finally clean and sober now. Coming up on six months too. How? Only by the grace of God.
She’s still not very friendly though. Especially ever since this fucking Carnaval started. Probably misses raising hell. Can’t say I blame her… Peace and equalibrium and sobriety aint always all they’re cracked up to be.
The pale blue sky above my head looking up from this hammock says it all.
Bo-ring!
Shit. I want to sleep but my mind won’t stop. Drugs were a great help with stuff like that. But that’s all over now. Just for today. Over. No wonder Narcisa’s cranky. Can’t blame her, looking at the wilted limp-dick yellow flowers against the backdrop of that shitty pale blue sky and deserted buildings of Downtown Rio…
But now a never-ending flock of giant feathery seagulls is gliding silently overhead, so close I feel like a spy in Birdland or something. Cutting across that bland listless blue sky like a marching storm trooper procession, copper colored against the setting sun. Night is falling again and life seems livable once again now. Giant seagulls flying high, riding the invisible winds of earth and yes, God is in the details.
Copyright Jonathan Shaw 2009.
It is difficult to remain sober… (duh)… congrats to Narcisa… *Big hugs to you*, sister.
Beautiful pics…enjoying all the photos you’ve been posting!…